By Brandon Corlette
After another poor showing by the West Indies Test team in New Zealand, the next Test squad to tour Bangladesh, which is to be announced in a week’s time, should feature Guyana’s Romario Shepherd and diminutive Trinidadian dynamite Nicholas Pooran.
Shepherd has done enough at the Regional level for Guyana Jaguars, and has also shown his ability with the bat in challenging New Zealand conditions, scoring his maiden century and finishing with the most runs in the ‘A’ team series.
Shepherd hit 232 runs at a stunning average of 77.3, including a career best 133* and an unbeaten 77. He has a first-class record that is better than most of his Caribbean counterparts. In 25 matches, the right-arm speedster took 74 wickets at 24.62, with a best bowling figure of 5-24. His value also increased when he showed his ability with the bat against New Zealand ‘A’.
While many cricket pundits had called for Pooran’s inclusion in the Test team, he had expressed willingness to feature in the two first-class matches against New Zealand ‘A’, and scored 176 runs across the two matches, including his best first-class score of 69.
The world has seen how talented a batsman he Pooran is. If Pooran applies himself mentally, he should succeed at the Test level.
In the Test series against New Zealand, Jermaine Blackwood was again the best batsman on tour, scoring 216 runs at an average of 54, including one century and one fifty.
After Blackwood, with 216 runs, the next best West Indies batsman was John Campbell, who scored 110 runs, He scored his best Test score of 68. Imagine, Campbell was struggling and his overall Test record is poor, and he yet has the second highest aggregate on tour. That speaks volumes of both pleasant and unpleasant things.
Darren Bravo had poor returns, scoring 32 runs in four innings; while Shamarh Brooks had 53 runs in four innings. Joshua Da Silva, who should have gotten his Test cap in England, took his opportunity with both hands and scored his maiden Test fifty. Shimron Hetmyer, who was suffering a concussion on tour, did not play a Test match, and his number six batting position is stolen from Blackwood. In four innings, Roston Chase made 17 runs and Kraigg Brathwaite scored 55 runs. Those are poor returns from players with such experience.
Certainly, the West Indies are struggling, and changes should be made or players should be added to the squad for the two Test matches in Bangladesh. In case you are wondering which players should be added, those should be Shepherd and Pooran.
According to Cricket West Indies Chief Executive Officer Johnny Grave, no reserve player will be selected to tour Bangladesh, but a customary 15-man Test squad is expected tto be announced. With three One-day Internationals scheduled for that Bangladesh tour, some players in the Test squad will feature in the ODIs.
Spin will play an important role in Bangladesh. Rahkeem Cornwall is still the number one spinner, but it would be interesting to know who are the other spinners. Will Veerasammy Permaul get a return call-up, or will Chase partner Cornwall? Time will tell.